Journal Article

Posttraumatic stress symptoms among Polish World War II survivors: the role of social acknowledgement

Szumiał, Szymon, Lis-Turlejska, Maja, Drapała, Iwona

2018

Overview

Background: There is growing evidence of the important role played by socio-interpersonal variables on the maintenance of PTSD. Many World War II survivors in Poland could, as a result of political circumstances during the aftermath of the war, have experienced a lack of social recognition of their war-related trauma. Objective: The main aim of the study was to examine the association between perceived social reactions and the level of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSD) and depression. Method: Participants (N = 120) were aged 71-97 years (M = 82.44; SD = 6.14). They completed a WWII trauma-related questionnaire, the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS), the Impact of Events Scale (IES) and Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). The Social Acknowledgement Questionnaire (SAQ) was used to measure participants' perception of others' acknowledgement and disapproval of their war trauma. Results: The rate of probable PTSD, diagnosed according to DSM-IV, was 38.3%. PTSD symptoms and General Disapproval were significantly correlated for all three PTSD symptom groups (Pearson's r ranged from .25 to .41). The structural equation modelling results also demonstrated the importance of General Disapproval with regard to the level of PTSD symptoms. It explained both the intensity of PTSD symptoms (13.4% of variance) and the level of depression (12.0% of variance). Conclusion: In addition to confirming the high rate of PTSD among WWII survivors in Poland, the results indicate the importance of social reactions to survivors' traumatic experiences.

• Publisher: Taylor & Francis,Taylor & Francis Ltd,Taylor & Francis Group
• Subject: ancianidad / Basic / Clinical psychology / depresión / depression / elderly / Mental depression / Mental health / Post traumatic stress disorder / prevalence / prevalencia / PTSD / Questionnaires / reconocimiento social / segunda guerra mundial / Social acknowledgement / Stress / TEPT / The aim of our study was to measure the associations of social reactions with the levels of PTSD and depression symptoms among WWII survivors in Poland. The rate of PTSD was very high: 38.3%. PTSD symptoms and the perceived lack of societal recognition of war trauma were significantly correlated. The structural equation modelling results also demonstrated the associations of the lack of social acknowledgement with the levels of PTSD and depression symptoms / Victims of crime / World War II / 关键词 / 抑郁 / 流行率 / 社会接纳 / 第二次世界大战 / 老年人